How to Get Sling TV Canada Unblocked in 2018

Chris Beattie

December 11, 2017

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UPDATE: On February 1st, 2018 I can confirm this solution still works. The tool I use in this guide is called ExpressVPN. Feel free to comment below, or go check it out by clicking here. I use ExpressVPN because it is the only one I've found that still currently works to get Sling TV in Canada.

Install the VPN software onto the device(s) you want to watch Sling TV in Canada on

Open the VPN software and connect to a US-based server location

Login to existing Sling TV account or signup if you have not already done so

Enjoy Sling TV in Canada

Total time needed to complete these steps: 5 minutes max​

How to get Sling TV in Canada in more detail:

Being sent to Canada for three months on a project is not how I planned to start the year. But the nature of my job means I have to be willing to go away at short notice. Problem is, try as I might, I am not a culture vulture and sightseeing keeps me amused for a few days, not a few months.

I am a sports fan (sorry Canada, not hockey) and a TV buff though, and I immediately looked on this time as a great opportunity to catch up on all those shows I have been meaning to watch but never got round to.

I get all this from my Sling TV package. It a new over the top service with all the best cable channels, and all the best sports networks available direct to my laptop. They have also added HBO recently and since then I have been hooked.

The only problem is, it a US service, and not available over the border. I knew this because I tried to watch basketball on a weekend trip with my girlfriend to Toronto. But I figured there was always a way. And it didn’t take me long to find the perfect solution to my dilemma. A VPN.

Why is Sling TV not Available in Canada?

Is Sling TV available in Canada? No. Does this mean you cannot access it? Absolutely you can!

Before I explain how you can use a VPN to watch Sling Canada, let me briefly tell you why it is not available there in the first place.

Sling TV is an American service and they hold the rights to broadcast and stream the channels on their service within the USA. However, they do not hold the rights to broadcast the channels, or the programs on those channels, overseas.

This means that even existing American subscribers to the service are not entitled to view the content overseas, even somewhere as close by as Canada, because other broadcasters will hold rights to the same content there.

So how do they stop subscribers from accessing their services when they leave the USA? The answer is by using a fairly simple technique known as geo-blocking.

How is Sling TV Blocking Access in Canada?

Geo-blocking works a bit like the doorman in the headquarters of a major business. It checks your credentials to see if you are allowed in.

In this instance, your security pass is something known as yout IP Address. This is a set of data which every internet users transmits to each and every site they visit whilst online. It contains various pieces of information, including a pretty accurate geographic location of where you are logging on from.

The geo-blocking technology reads the IP Address, and if it states that you are located outside the USA, Sling TV will simply block your access to their service.

The only way to get around this, is to change your IP Address to show that you are in the USA. This is where the VPN comes in as it channels all your online activity via an external server, and it is the IP Address of that server which the sites you visit can see. So if that server is located in the USA, Sling TV will let you use their service.

How to Use a VPN to Watch Sling TV in Canada

Step 1: Sign up for VPN

If you have read this far, you are no doubt keen to find out exactly how to use a VPN to make Sling TV work in Canada. I will now explain, and as I noted at the top of this article, I will use E﻿xpressVPN to illustrate how it is done.

So first you will need to visit the ExpressVPN website (see the various links on this page). Once there you will need to choose which of their various subscription packages is the right one for you. Click on your preference and you will be diverted to the payment processing page.

Making your payment is a straightforward process and ExpressVPN accept numerous different payment methods.

Don’t forget, if you are not completely satisfied, ExpressVPN offer a money-back guarantee. A 30-day money back guarantee, to be clear.

This is another reason why I am recommending this specific VPN to get Sling TV Canada unblocked, as you can try the service for 30 full days to see just how consistently effective it is at accessing Sling TV for you.

Step 2: Download & Install VPN

After your payment has been processed and you have confirmed your account via an email they send you, you will be invited to download and install the ExpressVPN software. Be sure to download the right software for your device and platform, as ExpressVPN can be used on a wide variety of different machines.

As you can see in the above screenshot, you have the ability to seamlessly download and install the VPN software onto essentially any internet-connectable device you would want to get Sling Canada on.

The actual download process takes all of 5 seconds. So on the device (or multiple devices) you want to access Sling TV Canada on, go ahead and download the software.

Once you have the software, it will automatically prompt you to run the installation process. So go through those quick steps and get the app installed and ready to use.

After downloading and installing the software, you can go ahead and open it up. You'll be asked to pop in your login details, then you're ready to move onto the next quick step:

Step 3: Connect to US-based Server on VPN

Helpfully, after your software has successfully downloaded and been installed it should also open automatically. You will then be invited to choose which server you would like to connect to.

This is the crucial part of the whole solution. You will be wanting to connect to a server location based in the US, since this is the step that will actually change your IP address - and thus "appearance" - to within the US.

We can call this moment the "wool over the eyes" moment 😉

Select on of the various US-based server on offer (it doesn’t matter which) and then wait for a few moments while you are connected.

To better illustrate this step, here is a screenshot of how the VPN software literally looks on my Macbook after I downloaded, installed, opened and logged into it:

As you can see, the appearance of the VPN is super easy to understand and navigate. You have one huge "Connect" button, and a "Select Another Location" option.

I'm sure you can figure out what to do here - but just to be extra super duper clear: you want to click on Select Another Location and choose a US-based sever location, then hit Connect.

I personally wanted to access Sling TV Canada on both my Macbook and Android smartphone device. So here is how the connection process looks on my mobile Android device:

Once again, you can see that ExpressVPN keep their design really consistent across all different devices, making it equally as easy to get connected regardless of which device you're wanting Sling TV in Canada on.

(Note: you of course do not want to connect to a London-based server location like it shows in the above screen shot. You want a US-based location. I just quickly connected to a random server to show you how it looks.)

After a few seconds, you will be successfully connected to your US-based server. The moment this happens, you will have just effectively changed your online location to "appear" within the US. Pretty awesome, right?

Now all that is left for you to do is setup a new - or login to your existing - Sling TV account...

Step 4: Setup Sling TV Account

So, if you already have a Sling TV account, all you have to do is log in and you can use the service as usual.

If you don’t have an account, you will need to visit their website and register. This is again a simple process, and Sling TV accept a variety of payment methods.

Follow their on screen instructions closely and before you know it you will be able to enjoy all of the excellent channels on offer.

Conclusion

And with ExpressVPN on your machine, you should not have no trouble enjoying Sling TV in Canada, and indeed anywhere else you might find yourself travelling.

As I noted at the top, ExpressVPN is the provider I think is best suited to this purpose. Of course there are others available, and if you don’t like the look of ExpressVPN, see my other top 5 VPNs for watching Sling Canada below.

Happy personally gone through detailed reviews of all the major VPN service providers that are currently on market (there's well over 100 right now!) I can safely and confidently say that not all VPNs are created equal, especially with regards to unblocking specific services in specific locations, like Sling TV Canada for example.

With that said, I have recently checked the effectiveness of the following 4 alternative VPN providers alongside ExpressVPN, and they are all successfully giving access to Sling TV in Canada. So check them out. Most of them also offer a money back guarantee period of between 7 and 30 days:

Feel free to leave any comments or tips you may have regarding these VPNs - especially if you have tried to use one and it did not work for you. I do regularly check and verify each VPN to see if it is allowing access to Sling TV outside the US or not, but it's alway good to have a fresh user experience. It is always good to hear from users who are putting this guide into practice and the experience you have.

So the next time someone asks you "is Sling TV available in Canada?" - you can let them know this solution and become their favourite person!

Are there other ways to access Sling TV in Canada without a VPN?

Should you want to explore other methods to get your own Sling TV Canada version setup, then here are the 2 most common methods:

Use a SmartDNS service

This method is for the most part exactly like using a VPN, in that you use a piece of simple software that acts as a "middle man" between you and your ISP (Internet Service Provider), allowing you to control your IP address, and thus how your "location" appears to websites and online media streaming services.

Where a DNS service differs from a VPN is in one major way: Privacy.

You see, when you use a VPN, the moment you connect to one you are placing a very powerful level of encryption on your entire internet activity until you then disconnect from the VPN.

This gives all of your online data and activity a "military level" grade of privacy protection. No company, website, government, nor even your own ISP, will be able to track, monitor or see your online activity and connect it to your personal identity.

A smartDNS service, on the other hand, does not provide this encryption on your connection. So your online data and activity is completely open to whomever may want to see it.

Of course, this is not the main priority for you to unblock and have your own Sling TV Canada version, since it's the unblocking that is your main desire.

However, with the prices between a smartDNS service and VPN service being very slight, it definitely makes more sense to get privacy protection on your online activity and data.

Will a Proxy work for this?

You may see some people recommending that a "proxy" or "proxy browser" will allow you to both protect your privacy and let you access blocked websites in your country.

At this point, using a proxy is the most primitive way to access a blocked website, that 99% of the time will not even work. Why? Because most proxies are free. You simply go to a website that hosts a proxy, type the website you want to visit into the search by (kind of like Google) then visit the site through that proxy website. Thus, theoretically, protecting your privacy and also unblocking sites for you.

There are two huge problems with this method though:

1. Most free proxies actually don't protect your privacy, and instead are free because they make money by selling your online data to third party entities like advertisers.

2. A proxy will not allow you to access an online media streaming service. These are different from simple websites, since you are using an actual service. This is why you can't unblock Netflix or Hulu Plus or watchESPN through a proxy.

So at the end of the day, if you don't care that much about protecting your online privacy, then I would check out a smartDNS like Getflix. However, I do strongly stand by using a VPN like ExpressVPN for this solution, as they are constantly working on keeping such services as Sling TV in Canada unblocked, which is what you want.

Any questions or comments on this quick guide and the steps therein -- go head and pop a comment down below and I will be sure to read it and reply.

Thanks for reading, and happy Sling'ing!

Extra SlingTV Solutions:

How to watch Sling TV on Apple TV

If there's two things I cannot get enough of nowadays, it's on-demand media streaming services (there are so many great ones!) and my new Apple TV. Seriously, this combination has levelled-up my home entertainment system in an epic way.

So when I heard about Sling TV a few months ago, I knew I had to have it. This service would mean I could finally get rid of my cable TV subscription and be fully "online" with my entertainment viewing. It's 2016; about time!

Thus, I signed up and got myself a Sling TV account and went to get it hooked up to my Apple TV only to find that Sling TV has not expanded to offer its service on Apple TV. This is due to either Apple having very restrictive allowances for apps (i.e. they've denied Sling TV to have their app thereon) or that the rumours are true regarding Apple soon to be launching their own "Sling TV" alternative.

Either way, I did figure out a workaround that is a little "buggy" but 100% works. This process was actually really straight forward. Here's a quick to-the-point breakdown of how to do this:

Download Sling TV app onto your iPhone or iPad

Open Sling app and start viewing whatever you want to watch

Bring up options by swiping up from the bottom of your screen

Select the AirPlay option

Scroll down and turn on "Mirroring"

This is the best workaround I could find on how to watch Sling TV on Apple TV with the current state of these two services.

How to watch Sling TV on Mac and/or PC

For a short time, Sling TV had provided a setup guide to allow viewing their service on Mac or PC, however they soon removed this possibility in favour of encouraging users to setup Sling TV on any device via Chromecast.

For the setup guide on this, click the button below to be taken to the Sling help centre's article showing this process:

Hey Rich, sorry to hear you’re having trouble with accessing Sling TV via a VPN. I just tested it and this solution is still working for me. Could you perhaps let me know exactly what you’re doing and at what point you are getting booted off the service?

Hey Karl, thanks for reading! Sorry to hear you’re having an issue accessing Blue and/or Orange. I just tested this and it works fine for me. Have you tried clearing your browser cache and closing the browser before connecting to a new US-based server on your VPN — then re-opening your browser and signing into Sling after connecting? Let me know how you get on!

Interesting fact, Sling check your location only when you launch the application. So if your VPN is too slow (on your PC of course) you can launch the application, then disconnect the VPN, and still continue watching Sling.

Hey Kyle, thanks for reading! Yes, you can download and install the VPN onto multiple devices with just the one paid account. ExpressVPN also allow for simultaneous logins across multiple devices, which is good. Hope that helps, Kyle!

What regional channels do you get? I’m using a DNS service and no matter what zip code I put, I still get the Los Angeles regional channels, I don’t like it very much because the time zone is 2 hour earlier to where I live.

Hey Gina! Thanks for inquiring. Unfortunately you will not, no. This is not how your IP address works. Your computer’s IP address is determined by your physical location (specifically by the internet connection you make when you go online with your computer) — so if you are physically located in the US, then absolutely you will have an American IP address. However, to get Sling TV in Canada you need to use a VPN to change your IP address to a Canadian one, by connecting to a Canada-based server through the VPN.

Hey Joan, thanks for commenting! You can see Canadian shows if they are in the Sling TV library. If you have a SmartTV (that connects to your home internet) then you can get the VPN setup on your home router and you can get Sling TV Canada on there easily. Hope that helps!

To be honest, I have never even heard of Sling TV, but I do like how it sounds and I do travel to Canada every so often, so I will keep this article bookmarked should I ever need to access sling​ ​tv​ ​in​ ​Canada.

I had to google it up not the software but topic at hand lol. Apparently, sling tv Canada is an internet TV? I do not use the internet for my TV but to me this is overkill. I know a VPN can be used to bypass this but come on its TV. companies already has a lot of ad revenues. Come on!!!

Internet TV can be a good thing. It saves us a lot of hustles and not to mention a big traffic escape for some places. However, it seems that not all can enjoy its perks. Apparently, sling tv in Canada is not made operational due to business reasons but here is the thing business aside TV deserves to be enjoyed in my humble opinion.

Internet TV could be the next phase of media. It is a double edge sword so to speak. I mean if everyone will go internet what will happen to the labor force who I do not know I guess it will affect the manual factories a bit.

I know we all have this going on. However, since when? Is sling tv available in Canada? I mean before. This is an example of how technology can be a bad thing too. Think about it back then TV is just contented with ads but since the inception of patents etc. Money took over. It is sad though.

I hope sling tv Canada realizes later on that they are helping third party software even more. Seriously why? Human nature the more you restrict them the more they will strive to check what that restriction meant. Well at least something good comes out of it.

It seems that sling​ ​tv​ ​in​ ​Canada is very strict for them to go out of their way to spend millions in blocking areas. If you ask me why not spend all that money in improving quality as suppose to restrictions. It is not full proof anyway as shown by this system here.

Is sling​ ​tv​ ​available​ ​in​ ​Canada? now that its blocked, how effective a third party software such as these to bypass what I assume is a tough security? I will get this and see if this will finally let me enjoy my internet viewing.

Yet another platform blocked and rescued by this method. Hulu, Netflix and now this. They say money talks but this is ridiculous if you ask me!!! I mean most of the material shown are not theirs to begin with. Just Saying.

The way I see it if you are happy with your cable then there is no need for this. However, if cheap but the same outcome is your game then try this out. As of the moment though I do not see myself using it. Perhaps in the future but not now.